Engine-starter.



E. A. BOSTROM. I

ENGINE STARTER.

APFLIOATION FILED JAN. 17, 1911.

1,032,584. Patented July 16, 1912.

jfiventr UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST A. BOSTROM, or ATLAETA. GEORGIA.

EN GINE-STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

App1ication filed January 17, 1911. Serial No. 603,134.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 'it known that I, ERNST A. BosTRoM, a citizen of the United States,and a residentof Atlanta, Fulton county, State of Georgia,

" have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine Starters,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, sucha's'will enable others skilled in the art to which appertains to makeand use the same.

This inventlon relates to certain improvementsin devices for use instarting internal One of the'main objects of my intention is to sodesign this coupling that it may be readily applied for connecting theordinary crank now on the market directly to the shaft Without-involvingany changes whatsoever in either the crank or the shaft.

"A further object of my invention is-to improve certain details of thecoupling so that the coupling willbe more positive in operation, morecompact and less expensive and complicated to manufacture.

Various other ob ects and important features will be pointed out moreparticularly hereinafter;

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification and in which similar reference characters indicatecorresponding parts in the several views and in which- Figure 1 is alongitudinal section through a device constructed in accordance with myinvention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;and Figs. 3 and 1 are sections on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 showingthe parts in operative position for cranking, and Fig. 4 showing theparts in released position after a back fire.

In the accompanying drawing I haveillustrated my invention as applied toan ordinary engine starting crank 10, which latter has a socket 11 forreceiving a stem 12. This stem which 'I will hereinafter refer to as theshaft is usually not the engine shaft itself, but is usually connectedwith the engine shaft by a simple form of self-releasing clutch so thatby turning the shaft 12 in one direction the engine will be caused toturn over, while as soon as the engine starts it will release itselffrom the shaft 12 and continue rotating leaving the shaft 12 at rest.The objectof my construction is to release the crank from this shaft 12in case the engine backs fire during startingand the shaft 12- startsrotating in the reverse direction. As-commonly used, the crank 10 hasbeen directly connected to the shaft 12 by securing the latter withinthe socket 11 of the crank. In my improved construction I remove thecrank 10 from the shaft 12 and iiisert a coupling therebetween, whichcou-" pling presents a stem 13 similar to the shaft 12 and adapted to besecured within the socket 11 of the crank and a collar 14: having asocket corresponding to the socket 11 and adapted to receive the shaftor stem 12. The socket carrying member 14 has a spindle portion 15 ofsmaller: diameter and in alinement with the shaft andbeyond this,

spindle portion is a threaded ortion 16 of still "smaller diameter.Rigid ysecured on this threaded portion 16 is a nut,17' of slightlylarger external diameter and the spindle portion 15. The'nut is screwedup against the end of the spindle portion and presents an annularshoulder 18 at the end of the spindle.

Encircling the nut 17 is a sleeve 19 which may rotate a limited distancewith respect to the nut as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.The sleeve presents an inwardly directed flange 20 at one end, the innersurface of the flange fitting the spindle 15- so that the nut 17prevents the sleeve .19 from. moving lengthwise in one direction.Rigidly secured to the sleeve is a member 21 which carries the shaft orstem 13. This member may be secured to the sleeve in any suitablemanner, but as illustrated the member has a cupshaped portion of lar erdiameter than the stem 13 and into which the sleeve 19 is threaded. Asthe nut 17 is rigid with the shaft 12 and as the sleeve 19 is rigid withthe crank 10 it is evident that by locking the sleeve and nut againstrelative rotation the shaft may be rotated by'the turning of the crank.For effecting this looking I form the sleeve 19 with a. plurality ofradial passages 22 within each of which there is mounted a'lockingmember which'in the specific form illustrated. is a ball 23.' Theseballs are of a diameter eater than the thickness of the wallof t esleeve 19 and normally project inwardly from the in ner surface of thesleeve into pockets 24 formed in the peripheral surface of the nut.

17. It is thus evident that if these balls be prevented from movingoutward radially,'a

' rotationof the sleeve 19 will insure a similar and equal rotation ofthe nut 17 For normally preventing the out-ward movement of the balls, Iencircle the sleeve 19 by an outer sleeve 25 normally rotating with thesleeve 19, but having limited lost mot-ion in respect thereto. Anysuitable connection between the sleeve 19 and the sleeve 21 may beemployed for controlling this lost motion, but as illustrated, I employa pin 26 extending inwardly through the member 21 into a curved slot 27in the end of the sleeve 25. In cranking the engine the sleeve 19 isrotated clockwise from the position indicated in Fig. 3, and the pin 26,which. is rigid with the sleeve 19 will engage in the "19 from the nut17 and permit the free rotation of the nut. To do this, I permit theballs 23 to'move outward radially fromthe pockets in'the nut. To permitradial move ment of the balls, I provide the sleeve 25 with a series ofpockets or sockets 28, so po- 'sitioned that when the pin 26 is at theend of the slot, shown in Fig. 3, the balls cannot enter these pockets,but upon a relative rot-ation of the sleeves 19 and 25, to bring the pinto the opposite end of the slot, the balls 23 may move outward radiallyinto the pockets 28 and out of the pockets 24. Upon the first impulse ofthe engine after the premature explosion the sleeve 19 will startrotating in the reverse direction along with thenut 17. One of the mainfeatures of my invention is the means whiclnI employ for preventing thesleeve'25 from rotating with the sleeve 19 in the reverse direction sothat ,the pin 26 can move to the opposite end of its slot and the ballsmay move outwardly into their outer pockets. As shown, this meansincludes a member 29 having a collar 30 loose on the. spindle 15. Thiscollar 30 extends into the sleeve 25 and is provided with a series ofpockets 31 within which there are mounted balls .32. Each of thesepockets decrease in depth toward one end and a spring 33 tends to presseachball toward the smaller end of its pocket so as to wedge the ballbetween the wall of the pocket and the circumferential sleeve 25.

The pockets face in such a direction that the sleeve 25 may freelyrotate in one direction during the cranking of the engine, but in casethe sleeve starts rotating in the reverse travel outwardly direction,the balls 32 will to lock the collar and wedge in place so as 30 and thesleeve 25 together. Themember' 29 and its collar 30 may be preventedfrom rotating in any suit-able manner. As shownthe member has a crankarmor extension at the outer end of whichis an opening to receive a stayrod 34. This rod may be suitably attached to the frame of the engine orto the chassis or to any other part of the automobile. As shown, themember 29 may move in the direction of the axis of the shaft 12 inrespect to the stay-rod. This is to' permit the longitudinal movement ofthe shaft 12 to bring the self-releasing clutch, not shown, intooperation.

' Encircling the sleeve 25 is a steel band 35 provided with an innerfrictional lining ends of the band are connected together by a suitablebolt 37 by means of which the band may be clamped to grip the sleeve 25more or less tightly. The ends of the band are disposed upon oppositesides of apin 38 projecting outwardly from the member 11' so as toprevent the band from rotating in either directionwith the .sleeve 25.band retards-the sleeve 25 and insures the This 36 of leather or anysuitable material. The v balls 32 coming into locking operationinstantly upon the rotation of the sleeve 19 in the reverse direction.

It is thought the operation of my improved device will be clear from theabove v description, follows: In cranking, the engine crank 10 is turnedso as to rotate the sleeve 19 in a clockwise direction from Fig. 3. Thepin 26 causes the sleeve 25 to rotate and the latter turns within thefriction band 35 andkeeps the balls 32 against their respective springs33. In case of back fire the shaft 12 and the nut 17 start rotating inthe reverse but it may be briefly stated as direction and carry withthem the sleeve 19 and the crank for a very limited distance. The sleeve25 is held against reverse rota tion,- not only by immediate lockingaction of the balls 32, but also by the action of the friction band. Assoon as the sleeve 19 is rotated to such an extent that the balls 23 mayenter the pockets 28, the nut 17 is released as shown in Fig. 4 and mayfreely rotate together with the shaft 12 without rotating the crank.Upon stopping the engine the simpleact of turning the crank 10 in theproper direction tov crank the engine will bring the parts back into theposition shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the entire device is very compact and that all ofthe working parts are concealed and protected from acci dental injury ordisplacement. The entire device may be readily sold as an article ofmanufacture and attached to the car without dismantling the latter andwithout requirmechanical skill. It isonly necessary to remove the crankfrom the shaft and insert the connection in between. If While on neverbeen attached thereto.

"Having thus described my invention What vI claim as new and desire'tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

.1. In an engine"-starter, the combination with a shaft adapted to berotated in one direction to start the engine and a crank havmg a socket,.of means for preventing back 7 firing action including an intermediatecoupling having a member presentinga socket similar to'nthe socket inthe crank and re- '20.

ceiving said shaft,a member presenting a l stud slmilar to the end ofthe shaft and disposed within the socket of said crank, interlockin'gconnections between said members for rotating the former in onedirection by the latter and means for releasing said connection upon therotating of the latter in'the reverse direction by the former,

said crank socketbeing adapted to be di-] rectly .appliedto said shaftupon the removal of-said coupling. 1

, 2. In an engine starter the combination with a shaft and a crankadapted to be directly applied to the shaft to rotate the latter andstart the engine, an intermediate coupling adapted for insertion betweensaid shaft and'said crank upon the removal of the crank from the shaftand preventing reverse rotation of the crank upon a back fir-.

ing of the engine, said coupling including a member adapted for directattachment to said shaft, a member adapted'for' direct attachrnent' tosaid crank and interlocking connections between said members for per-{mittin-g the first-mentioned member to .be rotated in one directionbythe second-mentioned member and operating to automatically release uponthe rotation of the secondmentioned member in theireverse direction bythe. first-mentioned member.

3. In an engine starter, the combination with a spindle, adapted to beoperatively connectedto the engine shaft and presenting an outerthreaded end of reduced diameter, a nut on said end of largerdiameterthan said spindle and presenting a shoulder at the end of saidspindle, a sleeve encircling said nut and having an inwardly directedflange encircling-the spindle and engaging with said shoulder, means forconnecting a crank to said'sleeve and detachably interlockingconnections between said nut and said sleeve.

than said spindle and presenting a shouldei. a non-rotatable memberencircling said spindle, a sleeve encircling said nut and having aninwardly directed flange encircling the spindle between said member andsaid shoulder, whereby the nut retains'saidsleeve and said member inposition, means for connecting thecrank to said sleeve, anddetachableinterlocking connect-ions between said nut'and sa'lidsleeveand means controlled by said non-rotatable member for controlling saidinterlocking connect-ions.

5. In an engine starter, the combination of 'a spindle'adapted t9 beoperatively connected to the engine's'haft, a non-rotatable memberencircling said spindle, a sleeve encircling said spindle and havingreleasable interlocking connections therewith and serving to retain saidnon-rotatable member in position, a second sleeverotatable with thefirst-mentioned sleeve and encircling the same and encircling saidnon-rotatablememher and having lost motion connections with said firstmentionedsleeve and locking means sleeve and connecting saidnon-rotatable member and said second-mentioned sleeve for preventinga-rotation of said secondmentioned sleeve in one direction, saidsecond-mentioned sleeve serving to control the interlocking connectionsbetween the spindie and the first-mentioned sleeve.

6. In' an engine starter, the combination with a spindle adapted to beoperatively connected to the engine shaft and presenting an outerthreaded end of reduced diameter, a nut on said end of larger diameterthan said spindle, a sleeve encircling said nut and having detachableinterlocking engagement therewith, a handle connected to.

encircling said second-mentioned In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' ERNST A. BOSTROM. Witnesses:

CLEMENT C. CARY,

A. J. -MAYFIELD.

Washington, D. G.

130111880! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Comm ssioner or Patents,

